How Often Should Your Air Conditioner be Serviced?

Air conditioners are designed and built to last a good 10-15 years. But even the best made electrical appliances – especially your air conditioner – need some TLC once in a while. This is to ensure they maintain optimal performance for as long as possible.

Most air conditioning specialists will tell you that without regular servicing, your system may not perform to its usual standard. This could lead to increased energy bills, poor comfort levels in the home, and even possible health issues. But how regular is regular? This is the question we will explore.

How Air Conditioners Work: The Basics

But first, let’s start with the basics. Air conditioners work by collecting hot air from a space, processing it – the methods will vary between ducted and split system air conditioners – and cooling the air internally before releasing it into the room. You also have reverse cycle air conditioners that will provide heating to a room by reversing the air conditioning process.

The air conditioner will continue drawing in air, processing it and releasing cold air until the room temperature is the same as the temperature on the thermostat.

However, it doesn’t matter if you’ve got a split system air conditioner, a ducted system or a portable air conditioner, all air conditioning units need servicing.

How Often Should I Get My Air Con Serviced?

Now, imagine it’s a typical Australian summer’s day. The sun is beaming, the temperature has hit 38°C, and your home feels like an oven. Just think about how much air will pass through your air conditioning system for it to reach a comfortable temperature. A lot, right?

Whether you’ve got a new air conditioner using the latest technology or and an older model, your heating and cooling system is going to have to work hard.

The internal components of your air conditioner experience significant wear and tear from processing so much air; wear and tear that causes them to diminish in quality and stop working at their best. Therefore, you should get your air conditioner serviced once a year to ensure the inner componentry remains fully functional so your aircon will remain in prime condition.

Why Your Air Con Needs a Regular Service

There are numerous significant benefits to maintaining a yearly servicing schedule for your air conditioner. Here are three major benefits:

1. Reduce Your Energy Bills

An inefficient air conditioner will use more energy than normal to maintain the level of performance it regularly provides. That increase in energy use results in an increase in your energy bills, meaning more money that won’t stay in your wallet. A regular service is the best way to keep those power bills in check.

Keeping to a regular maintenance schedule will also prevent small problems with your air conditioner from developing into big, expensive ones. Take internal coils, for example. Coils often collect dust, dirt, pollen and moisture, and don’t transfer heat properly when they are covered by these contaminants.

This puts pressure on other parts of the air conditioner to work harder, leading to shorter lifespans. During the servicing process, an experienced air conditioning technician will clean the coils; this will stop other parts ageing prematurely and delay the need to replace them.

As long as you’re using the right air conditioner for your space, then you’ll achieve the most efficient cooling and heating for that room.

2. Keep Cool in Summer

This one is simple. Poorly maintained air conditioners – both ducted and split system air conditioners – take longer to produce cool air. On a scorching day (or night) this will leave you hot and flustered. Avoid discomfort with regular service.

Of course, the same concept applies to the depths of winter when you desire warm air to keep you cosy.

3. Protect Your Health

Even though your air conditioner has filters, the inside still gets dirty and can become a breeding ground for bacteria, mould spores and fungi. Contaminants spread throughout the air you breathe without regular AC servicing.

This can lead to numerous health concerns including respiratory health issues, eye and skin irritations, a runny or blocked nose, wheezing and chest infections.

If you already have a respiratory condition like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), it is especially important to have your air conditioner serviced regularly. Doing so minimises the risk of your condition flaring up because of poor quality air.

What a Technician Does When Servicing Your Air Conditioner

There are parts of your air conditioner you can and should clean yourself. Your air conditioner’s manual will provide a step-by-step guide on how to do this safely.

However, a licensed and qualified technician is the best person to complete a full and thorough service on your air conditioner. They will:

• Inspect all internal and external parts
• Check electrical connections
• Check refrigerant levels
• Check the outdoor unit
• Clean internal parts
• Clean or change air filters

Aside from the cleaning and changing of filters, any DIY attempts may void the warranty of your air conditioner. Therefore it’s always best to leave it to the professionals.

When Was Your Air Conditioner Last Serviced?

Even the best air conditioner models and brands need servicing once in a while, especially if you want to maintain the system’s performance and energy efficiency. Can’t remember the last time you had your air conditioner serviced by a professional? Then it has probably been too long.

From split systems to portable air conditioners and everything in between, to have your heating and cooling running at an optimal level, schedule a HVAC service today. From evaporative cooling system repair to an aircon regas, Metropolitan does it all.

Learn more about Metropolitan Air Conditioning’s servicing options by contacting us today.

Please note: This information is provided for advice purposes only. Regulations differ from state to state, so please consult your local authorities or an industry professional before proceeding with any work. See our Terms & Conditions here.